Math lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 30 minutes
Round decimals to the nearest whole number
Decimals and percentages
CCSS 5.NBT.A.4England: Y4 Fractions (including decimals)England: Y5 Fractions (including decimals)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Round decimals to the nearest whole number.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Tenths as decimals: 0.1 to 0.9; Round to the nearest 10 or 100
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Place value chart with tenths and hundredths, Hundred squares, Number lines, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Tenths as decimals: 0.1 to 0.9; Round to the nearest 10 or 100). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
Hook · 3 min
- Show two prices or race times with decimals and ask which is bigger, then why.
- Share the objective: Round decimals to the nearest whole number. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: A parcel weighs 3.89 kg. Round this to the nearest kilogram.
- Step 1: Tenths digit 8
- Step 2: 4 kg
- Answer: 4
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- A parcel weighs 3.05 kg. Round this to the nearest kilogram. → 3Prompt: Only the tenths digit decides.
- A parcel weighs 9.56 kg. Round this to the nearest kilogram. → 10Prompt: Only the tenths digit decides.
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- A parcel weighs 28.16 kg. Round this to the nearest kilogram. → 28Prompt: Only the tenths digit decides.
- A parcel weighs 5.63 kg. Round this to the nearest kilogram. → 6Prompt: Only the tenths digit decides.
Watch out for
- Thinking 0.45 is bigger than 0.5 because 45 is bigger than 5.
- Moving the digits the wrong way when multiplying or dividing by 10.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Tenths as decimals: 0.1 to 0.9.
- Use concrete materials: place value chart with tenths and hundredths.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-4.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder